683 



grams uitrojrcMi per day; period 2, 1.92 grains). The fixct that the 

 amount of nitrogen iti the urine was not as large in [)eriod 4 as in period 

 2 (when aeid was added to the food), indieates, in the opinion of tlie 

 author, that the increased breaking down of albuminoids of the body 

 and excretion of the nitrogen during period 2 was not due exclusively 

 to the rediy^tion of the starch from 30 to 20 grams, but in part to the 

 addition of the acetic and lactic acid. 



A second trial was made with a rabbit weighing 3,500 grams. In the 

 first period 25 grams pea-nut cake (previously treated with ether and 

 with malt to remove part of the fat and carbohydrates), 43 grams starch, 

 12 grams sugar, 5 grams nutshells, 0.5 gram hay ash, and 0.2 gram of salt 

 were fed per .day. The ration contained 2.05 grams of nitrogen from 

 vegetable source. The ex(a'etion of nitrogen in the urine averaged dur- 

 ing 12 days 2.5G grams per day. In the second period, 9 grams calcium 

 lactate (5 grams lactic acid) were added to the ration without reducing 

 the starch. This was eaten readily after a few days. The live weight 

 remained nearly constant during this period. The average daily excre- 

 tion of nitrogen during the 6 days was 2.52 grams. The addition of 2.2 

 grams of lactic acid per 1,000 grams live weight had, therefore, caused 

 no increase in the nitrogen metabolism of the body, neither had it 

 apparently prevented this and so conserved the albuminoids. The author 

 concludes from the results with rabbits that the addition of large quan- 

 tities of lactic or acetic acid (4.3 grams per 1,000 grams live weight) in 

 the form of salts, to a narrow ration (1 : 3.7) caused an increase of the 

 nitrogen metabolism of the body instead of conserving the albuminoids 

 as the carbohydrates do ; while the addition of smaller quantities of 

 lactic acid (2.2 grams per 1,000 grams live weight) tended rather to 

 decrease than to increase the albuuunoid metabolism. 



A trial was then made with a sheep weighing 42.5 kg., which received 

 during the first period 450 grams hay, 75 grams starch, 30 grams cane 

 sugir, 200 grams peanut cake, and 8 grams salt daily. In the second 

 period there were added to the ration GO grams of lactic acid in the forih 

 of calcium lactate, which was readily eaten, and this ration was fed for 

 10 days. The results for the two periods follow : 



Averages per day. 



Somewhat smaller quantities of protein, fat, and crude fiber were 

 digested in the second than in the first period, and the increased amount 

 of nitrogen-free extract digested was not equal to the amount of lactic 

 m^ added. TUe J^dditiou of GO grj^ius of Jactic m^ to tl4y food (14 



